


Roses are red, forget-me-nots are blue

by alkjira



Series: Fix-it (!) December [17]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bilbo Remains In Erebor, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Cultural Differences, Happy Ending, M/M, Post-Battle of Five Armies, pining!Bilbo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-18
Updated: 2014-12-18
Packaged: 2018-03-02 02:40:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2796659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alkjira/pseuds/alkjira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bilbo stays in Erebor (and fails at understanding a few things about Dwarfs).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Roses are red, forget-me-nots are blue

**Author's Note:**

> Cliches ahoy!  
> (Warning, and written on my mobile, errors abound!)

Giving up the Shire didn’t even feel like giving up something. Not on most days.

Instead it felt like getting something. Many somethings.

Just getting to stay in Erebor was amazing in and of itself.

Him, a single Hobbit amidst a mountain of Dwarfs, but a welcome Hobbit, or so everyone told him.

Thorin too.

It was Bofur who had made the original suggestion for Bilbo to stay at least the winter in Erebor, but it was Thorin who had looked at Bilbo and quietly told him he'd be welcome for as long as he wished to stay.

It made a silly Hobbit wish for things, made him hope, indeed it did.

Things that perhaps weren't as impossible as he once might have imagined.

He and Thorin had grown close during the latter half of the journey. Perhaps...

Perhaps there was yet time for them to grow closer still.

-

And indeed they did.

As spring came around Bilbo's heart fluttered like butterflies each time Thorin smiled at him, and they shared supper more often than not; dining together alone in Thorin's quarters.

They'd not taken any steps beyond friendship, not yet, but Bilbo had begun to secretly imagine the flower crown he'd make for Thorin to wear at their wedding.

Yes, he was counting his eggs before they hatched, possibly even before they'd been laid, but the Hobbit could not help himself.

Could not stop himself from picturing blue forget-me-nots and pink and red roses. And just a few sprigs of baby's breath.

Woven into a crown that was very different from the one Thorin usually wore, but Bilbo had hope he would wear both just as proudly.

However, one day Bilbo's hopes came abruptly crashing down.

-

Being light on one's feet wasn’t always an advantage, or so Bilbo discovered when he found himself spying on Thorin without even meaning to.

Thorin was opening the door to his private chambers and Bilbo almost called out to him before he saw that Thorin was not alone.

The pretty dark-haired Dwarf standing next to him said something that made Thorin smile and she then proceeded to follow him into his quarters.

The door closed behind them, leaving Bilbo standing in the hallway, feeling entirely lost.

He recognised her as a friend of Dori's, one of the ranking members in the Jewellers' Guild.

There were few reasons for anyone in the Jewellers' Guild to join the King in his private rooms. Fewer still why it would happen this time of day when Thorin was supposed to still be holding court and a jeweller should... do whatever it was they did all day long.

 _Bilbo_ wasn't even supposed to be here, and not only because he still couldn't understand why Thorin had insisted on giving him a room in the royal wing (unless... but no, apparently not), no, Bilbo was not expected back until that evening as he'd gone to visit Bard earlier that morning.

Only he'd barely gotten out of the mountain before he remembered that he'd forgotten the gifts for Bard's children that he'd intended to bring.

Now he moved to do just that, walking by Thorin's door in a bit of a daze.

-

The daze lasted most of the day, earning him worried looks from Bard, but Bilbo brushed any concerned comments away by claiming he'd just not slept well. 

He expected that he would sleep very poorly the coming night so it was not a lie as much as a truth misplaced in time. 

-

He almost declined to join Thorin for supper but eventually decided that he might as well try and find a way to bring the subject up.

He couldn't imagine that Thorin was ashamed of a lover but he could believe, no he _knew_ that he was a very private Dwarf. 

Bilbo had simply misread their friendship to be something it wasn't and just in case Thorin had noticed his mistake Bilbo wanted to make it clear that he fully supported Thorin's choice. 

To be a master in any guild required great skill, and she had been undeniably beautiful. 

And she had made Thorin laugh. 

That Bilbo could also lay claim to but as for the rest... He was a middle-aged Hobbit without a trade and without a beard. Hardly what _any_ Dwarf would be looking for, much less Thorin.

Thorin who only deserved the best.

-

"Is the food not right?" Thorin asked, looking over the table at Bilbo, concern in his blue eyes. "I thought roasted chicken was one of your favourites."

"It's good," Bilbo promised, managing a smile. 

"I can send it back to the kitchen-"

"It's _fine_ ," Bilbo said and it likely came out a little sharper than intended because Thorin looked taken aback. 

 _Brilliant_ , Bilbo congratulated himself. That's certainly the way to do it if you want a friend to feel at ease around you. _Friend_ , he reminded himself again, for good measure. 

"Bilbo, there is something-" Thorin paused. "I would like to tell you something but if there's something wrong you must know you can speak freely with me."

Ah. Sure, why didn't he just confess how he'd been in love with Thorin for months. That would go well if Thorin then did as Bilbo suspected he would do and admitted that he was seeing someone. 

No, not _admitted_. That made it seem like he'd done something wrong. It wasn't his fault he'd befriended a foolish Hobbit. 

Mustering up a more convincing smile, Bilbo took a bite of his chicken.

"Nothing is wrong. What did you want to tell me?"

Best get it over with. 

"I was planning to wait until after dinner but-" Thorin placed a small box on the table and opened the lid before pushing it in Bilbo's direction. "-I think we've waited long enough."

Bilbo's heart sank. There was a beautiful ring in the box, nestled in what looked to be dark velvet. 

A blue stone gleamed next to a red one on the band. 

And Thorin, _they_ , had waited long enough.

Perhaps he had been seeing her even before the quest. 

"Do you like it?"

The butterflies in his chest were now exchanged for sharp thorns and Bilbo nodded.

"It's beautiful."

Thorin's smile was small but radiant and Bilbo wanted to hide beneath the table.

"I must confess I had some help making it."

And he'd made it. Of course he had. 

Thorin reached out and Bilbo stretched to push the box and ring back to him, (and also away from himself) which was why he ended up blinking rapidly in surprise when Thorin caught his hand, thumb rubbing softly over Bilbo's knuckles.

The blinks increased in frequency as Bilbo's ring finger suddenly found itself having a visitor. 

"I guessed the size," Thorin said, a little smugly 

"But it will be too small," Bilbo said, knowing that Dwarven fingers were always bigger than his own.

"How can it be too small when it's a perfect fit?" Thorin frowned. 

"Because- a perfect fit?"

Thorin smiled and traced the tip of his finger over the golden band. "Is it not? Because I can adjust it if you want."

Oh.

"Oh," Bilbo said. "Wait. You- is this- are you _proposing_?" To _him_!?

"If you've doubts I must be doing something wrong," Thorin said drily. "Is this not how you do things in the Shire?"

All Bilbo could think about to say was:

"You've not even kissed me."

Thorin's eyes darkened. "If you'd allow me, I would be glad to amend that."

A million thoughts spinning in his head and in the end Bilbo managed a nod.

Without releasing Bilbo's hand Thorin stood up walked around the small table.

A light tug and Bilbo stood up as well, gazing up at Thorin, gaze flitting between Thorin's eyes and his mouth. 

His smiling mouth.

"My Hobbit," Thorin murmured and leaned closer. "My One." Closer still. "My _Bilbo_."

Sometime much later there would be a discussion about if Dwarven courting traditions might be designed purely to drive Hobbits around the bend, but for now Bilbo's eyes fluttered close as he pressed his lips to Thorin's. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thorin is a little shocked to learn about the things a couple will get up to in the Shire even before they're engaged.  
> Okay a lot shocked. 
> 
> But also intrigued.


End file.
